Obamacare 2015: Healthcare.gov open for browsing

The federally-operated health insurance marketplace healthcare.gov is open for browsing. Open enrollment for 2015 health insurance coverage is Nov. 15 to Feb. 15.

The federally-operated health insurance marketplace healthcare.gov is open for browsing. Open enrollment for 2015 health insurance coverage is Nov. 15 to Feb. 15.

Photo: KAREN BLEIER, AFP/Getty Images

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Mary Richardson is among several Houstonians who struggled to pay monthly premiums for coverage they bought in the 2014 health insurance marketplace.

Mary Richardson is among several Houstonians who struggled to pay monthly premiums for coverage they bought in the 2014 health insurance marketplace.

Obamacare 2015: Healthcare.gov open for browsing

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Anyone interested in shopping for 2015 health coverage now can browse the federally operated website healthcare.gov to research insurance plans and estimated premiums.

Marketplace enrollment begins Saturday, Nov. 15. Last year, nearly 734,000 Texans signed up for coverage, many of whom had never before been insured. Still, about 6 million Texans, 25 percent of the state's population, remain uninsured. The state has the highest rate of uninsured residents nationwide.

Experts estimate more than 1 million in the Houston area are uninsured.

Those who bought 2014 coverage could renew their plans for 2015 or look for new coverage. Several Houstonians say they struggle to pay their monthly premiums on top of mortgages, car payments and utilities. They hope their 2015 premiums will be less expensive.

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Prognosis

Paying premiums was tough for Houstonian Mary Richardson, too. Richardson, a clerk for the Houston Independent School District, paid $103 per month for marketplace coverage she used only once before turning 65 and qualifying for Medicare. However, the plan was less expensive than employer-based coverage, which she said would have cost more than $500 per month.

Previously, Richardson, like many uninsured people, paid cash when she went to a doctor. She bought coverage because she didn't want to pay a penalty for being uninsured.

After becoming insured, Richardson, a great-grandmother of three, got a mammogram at no cost to her. Her high blood pressure medication also has been free of charge.

"I had to have some kind of insurance," said Richardson, who has vertigo and high blood pressure. "That was the cheapest one I found."

Houston and Harris County residents can call 832-393-5423 week days during business hours to ask questions and receive appointments to get in-person help to pick coverage. Those in the 12 counties outside Harris County can call 855-892-8082 for help and appointments.